strider3

Yep, meant Spark not Twitch ;-)

I seem to be able to take contracts and make enough funds to continue my career. My problem now is getting more science points. I'm wondering if the answer lies in the Admin Building? I can't find enough info to make me "pull the trigger" on anything there, however, as it seems to be irreversible, once chosen in Career mode? My need for science points is not being met by Contracts (the high science reward contracts are usually beyond my current abilities...and they ain't that "high" LOL). Is there a use for a Admin Bldg program (I forget what they are called), or should I just keep going out into the system, on my own, to gain science? Vic the Newbal

Thank you both. This was a question for the future, as I don't have the science to do most of it. But, it's always helpful to know which way to spend your science points. I believe I will save these options for the future...as you said Snark...having "fuel stops" along a long journey would be helpful. That philosophy reminds me of the early Western U.S. explorers. They would have "caches" of stuff placed in areas and they would slowly expand their travel abilities by leap-frogging until they had a line of these caches that would support a long journey, without bringing everything needed to survive. Interestingly (or not) I live near the Cache Le Poudre river, French for "hide the powder" (a direct translation). The early trappers in the area named the river because they would store little caches of gunpowder and other supplies in the area. You helpful people can look forward to my next post..."let's talk Administration Building strategies"...or you can run away like mad! LOL!

Hopefully this is the correct forum for this question. I recently did a polar orbit scan of Mun with the M700 to determine the best places for mining ( I don't have the science for the M4435 narrow-band scanner or I would have put it on the probe also). Anywho, Let's talk "mining" for a bit. How is mining worthwhile...I get that you can make fuel...but then what, sell it? So, question 1 is: is mining worth the trouble? If it is, the questions multiply (they always seem to!): When I have the science for the M4435...is there a way to "mark the spot" with the best ore concentrations so I can easily find that spot from Mun orbit, and land there? How do you build a "base"? I would like to have a small base for mining ops and science research but I have no idea what parts are used and how that is accomplished.

To clarify, yep, know about thrust adjustments (but thanks!). And not a Twitch (I misspoke)...I replaced the Terrier with the Spark. It's more than enough to get my orbit right. I completed that contract, so...thanks gang! I'm onto another, around the Mun. And I hope to have enough fuel left after contract to go into a polar orbit. I have a survey scanner on this one and hope to locate some ore. Thanks again, all! Vic the Newbal.

After digging around more deeply here, and installing KER's AoP abilities, my AoP is 284*. I do believe you are right, Reaper...I'm going the wrong way! LOL. Just to verify "0* of inclination" would mean head east? Don't think I have enough fuel to reverse rotation, going to start over...and change the LV-909 Terrier, on the probe, to a Twitch...more forgiving for fine orbital adjustments.

GRrrrr! I have a contract to place a new satellite in an equatorial orbit around Kerbin. All requirements of the contract are met (green check marks) except "reach the designated equatorial orbit around Kerbin within marginal deviation". Here's how close I am: AP: required - 3,826,804, actual - 3,826,861 PE: required - 3,109,860, actual - 3,109,764 Inclination - required 180/-180, actual - 180 / -180 Argument of Pe - required 83.2*, actual - ??? All things are matched up in the orbit map with the required orbit. I don't know what "A of Pe" is, but I've been told that if everything else is matched, it does not matter? How close do I have to be? Vic the Newbal

I just now realized that this forum for introductions existed (typical senior nerd). Name's Vic and I have managed to orbit Mun ( I consider that my top accomplishment, so far). I am generally a huge PITA asking questions...but so far everyone has been very helpful. It turns out that a lot of the info out there is outdated, as all these helpful people are always pointing out, so...thank goodness for them and their patience! My previous experience with a simulation (which I consider KSP to be...not a "game") was 18 years of MS Flight Simulator. Also Silent Hunter and other submarine warfare games...but those were not what I consider true simulations. I recently invited Valentina Kerman to come on a 2 person orbit...but she walked off ranting about Newbals and something about a hot guy named Jebediah? Oh well...maybe Miberta or Julxie will be more willing? Anywho, Hi y'all Vic the Newbal

Thank you both! Vic the Newbal

Wow...great new information, my friend! Thank you so much. Timing launches was going to be an upcoming question (I'm a child of Apollo, watched the moon landing at 8 years old and I remember "launch window"). Your statement that inclination changes at lower orbits is also new to me. The in game tutorials make you do that first...before heading out to the Mun. But, then again, a lower orbit is recommended before burning to intercept Mun (wasted energy). This is why I need you guys...lots of old info out there. I'm going to print this, FMM...it's a keeper. Thanks for that, Waxing Kibbous. I spent 20 years at various MS Flight Simulator forums...and it was nothing like this..."RTFM!", "Search the forums!" and on and on. Nobody ever replied to "My searches yield 23,678 results!".

I am having problems returning to an earlier point in a flight/game. Recently I extended the OX-4L panels while orbiting Kerbin, to do a bit of battery charging, before continuing with my next burn. I then discovered I could not retract them? There was no option to retract. Anywho...I loaded what was supposed to be the last "quicksave" and it was from very far back in my career even though I had the "quicksaving" message pop up on the game screen at least once during the current flight. I have searched the wiki and these forums for "saving", "saving game", etc. but there are over 500 "hits" on those searches. Could some kind soul point me to the information that deals with everything about saving KSP and returning to this save (creating saves, returning to a save, etc.). I am somehow not finding this info. I'm not asking for you to go over the entire thing here as I'm sure the info is somewhere and has probably been posted a gazillion times already. Vic the Newbal

Thanks for your understanding. and...you nailed it, FMM...filter for "probes" was not on. I now see my satellite (Woohoo!). And a side note on this contract...I dumped the one that started all this...yes it was equatorial orbit (easy to get to) but the apoapsis and periapsis were at ~ 14,000,000 meters ?!?...a bit much for my current abilities...it's easier to orbit Mun than get to that orbit! Started a new contract with a keosynchronous orbit around 3,000,000 AP and 18 deg. The only thing I'm not seeing now is the 2 lines that connect my orbit to the required orbit at the AN / DN points. I'm working around that, though. Vic the Newbal

Guys and Gals...let's just let it go, for awhile. I have a funny feeling that I'm wearing out my welcome here, with all these questions. I will try to figure this stuff out, on my own. I certainly have appreciated your help, to this point but, at some point, I can see my constant questions as becoming...tiresome? Thanks gang!

ARRRGHHhh! I have managed to "focus" on Kerbin and the required orbit for this contract shows up. BUT, I can no longer focus on my craft? I can select it for focus using the "TAB" key, until I come to my craft...but my craft does not show up in "map" mode? Nowhere do I see my graphical representation of my spacecraft once I focus on it? My current orbit, for my craft, is there...but I don't see the craft "Icon" anywhere. S-I-G-H!\ Vic...who will always be a Newbal, apparently.

FancyMouse...I have "focused" on Kerbin...but I still do not see the orbit for this contract visually represented? I have a feeling this is not an option in 1.05? I'm guessing I'm on my own. Never mind, FM...the orbit showed up this time. Not sure what I did diff...but it's there

Yes, I need to figure out why this craft is flipping...instead of trying to live with it.

Let me ask straight out...How do I gain SAS controls (prograde/retrograde, etc.) over a probe? What do I have to add to the probe? Currently I have SAS ability...but that is all.

Thanks FM, I got what your saying. My problem now is a very uncontrollable craft as we launch...I always end up flipping, which is a new problem for me (well, haven't had it lately...). I've got in line stabilizers everywhere and yet the darn thing wants to do a somersault at about 200-250 m/s? This is why I asked about adding "Prograde / Retrograde" abilities to the Octo, above. I think I need to rethink the entire "satellite" thing. It has so far been a disaster. Maybe later.

I did not believe you could "focus" anything on Kerbin? But, I don't KNOW that. Let me try that before we get ahead of myself ;-) Thanks FancyMouse!

And one more...after reading many posts and wiki entries about placing a satellite, I was led to believe that the "required orbit" for the placement of said satellite would be visible in my "map" mode as a graphical representation. I am not seeing anything in "map" mode that shows the orbit, graphically, that I should be in to place my satellite. Was this old info? Vic the Newbal

Another point...what do I have to add to the Octoprobe to have, at least, prograde / retrograde control in SAS? Not that my rudimentary piloting skills won't allow me to fumble$@^% my way into the correct orbit but... Maybe it's better this way? Maybe I could use the piloting skills training. I'd still like to know, for future reference, but I think I'll go it on with simple SAS.

I "have" Kerbal Engineer...but have no real idea how to use it yet. I imagine that using KE requires an entire new line of study LOL wumpus...I worry about the BACC SRB's, at this point. I am thinking of going with liquid fuel instead, to control speed while in the atmosphere. Thanks, R!

Thanks, Servo. The 2 torroidal tanks DID attach "strangely"...in that the second one just seemed to join the same "space" as the first? A graphical issue, perhaps. I will build a craft from "scratch" to ensure both tanks worth of fuel actually are available to me...regardless of the graphics representation.

How are these fairings "staged off"? Thanks, R I believe, in this construction, I'll leave the tanks and engine. At least until I know more about what I'm doing?

Servo, there are actually 2 torroidal fuel tanks on top of that LV-909. Randazzo, Tell me about the aero "covering" you put over the probe? I have not used any of that yet and I'm curious about how these are installed and then released once in orbit to uncover your probe? 5thHorseman, what should I use instead of the decoupler, if I should choose to get rid of the fuel tanks and engine? I do like your thought of leaving them on for future use, though. Thanks guys!! Vic the Newbal